A patient lift may include a track-riding motor unit configured to ride along an elongated track. The track may be suspended to descend from a ceiling or other elevated structure, which may occupy less space in a room than another lift, such as, a floor lift. A load supporting member, for example, a flexible member such as a strap or cable, may extend from the motor unit and may be wound and unwound to raise and lower a lifting bar. The lifting bar can be secured to a sling, cradle, or other patient support for supporting a patient. A caregiver may use a control unit to control the motor unit to ride along the track and/or raise or lower the lifting bar in order to move the patient as desired.
A variety of lifting bars and lifting bar operations may be available depending on how the patient lift is to be used, i.e., depending on how the patient is to be supported and/or moved. The caregiver may replace one lifting bar with another by disconnecting a lifting bar from the load-supporting member and connecting another lifting bar to the load-supporting member.
As one example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,787 (“the ’787 patent) describes a ceiling lift having a winch that can be attached to an overhead rail. A lifting strap projects from the winch, and has a free end that is attached to a spreader bar. According to the '787 patent, the extremities of the spreader bar are provided with hooks for attaching a sling or the like holding a patient to be lifted. The spreader bar is directly connected to the winch at a female seat, and there is a quick coupling system provided at the spreader bar and the free end of the lifting strap. The winch may be activated to wind the strap to lift the spreader bar attached thereto.
As another example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0064432 (“the '432 publication”) describes a patient lifting device for displacing persons between various positions or areas. The device includes a lift strap extending from a housing to a lifting frame. The '432 publication further discloses that a sling may be removable attached to the lifting frame.
Thus, there is a need for an improved lifting bar and lifting bar connector that is more efficient and convenient to use in a medical lift system.